On Saturday, the UMW Women's Rugby team began its fall 15s season with a sweeping victory at home against American University in Fredericksburg, Va.,107-0.

UMW kicked off to American at the start of the first half. An initial knock on by American led UMW to quickly gain advantage of the ball. Within the first minute and a half, sophomore Josephine Lent scored a try on the wing. This momentum was complemented with the forwards which gave sophomore 8-man Ava Barnes an opportunity to score with a breakaway and fend 75 meters out. UMW dominated with quick ball movement in the back line, allowing Josephine Lent to score again on the outside.

The Eagles maintained possession for another try on the wing by sophomore Ella Brown. At an American scrum, UMW stole the ball, where a pick-and-go from Barnes then skip pass from the backs led to another try from Lent. Strong crashes from the forwards resulted in an additional try less than a meter out from Barnes. Quickly afterwards, junior Ava Ward broke through a gap for a try. Another dominant series of attacks gave Brown the opportunity to score again on the wing. Powerful momentum from the forwards allowed the backs to dish the ball out again to Lent who scored her fourth try of the match. Shortly after the kickoff back to Mary Wash, senior flyhalf and captain Nyah Speicher found space up the middle for the final try of the first half. Ava Ward converted seven of the ten tries in the first half, resulting in a total halftime score, 64-0. 

At the start of the second half, American kicked off to UMW. A penalty against American led Barnes to score with a hard crash 22 meters out. Barnes scored a fourth time less than 10 minutes later with a pick-and-go off a UMW maul from a lineout. The Eagles continued the attack, and senior scrumhalf Katy Field scored off a pick-and-go 4 meters out. The fourth try of the second half was scored by Speicher with another quick read of space in the middle. Wash continued to advance leading to a pick-and-go by Ward for another try. UMW maintained possession for a third try from Brown after a series of pick-and-goes. Ward fended off American's defense for the final try of the match, resulting from quick phases by Mary Wash. Ward converted her third try and made three other conversions in the second half.  

First caps for Mary Washington Women's Rugby included freshmen Ariel Barrera, Olivia Elder, Audrey Williams, and sophomore Stephanie Clark. American set up defensively and made fair tackles throughout the match. However, the Eagles' overall possession and agile attack led them to the victory with 17 tries and 11 conversions made.